Liquid-depth-indicating device



Get. 9, 1928.

H. w. KING LIQUID DEPTH INDICATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 4, 1924 nucu cozGHQ-Jun a Patented Oct. 9 1928. I

, 1,687,216 PATENT OFFICE.

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LIQUID-DEPTE JNDIOATTNG DE'VIGE.

Application filed. August 4, 1924. Serial No. 730,097.

The invention relates to liquid depth indicating devices and isparticularly applicable to a motor vehicle for the measurement of theheight or volume of the liquid fuel in the II supply tank; The inventionhas for one of its objects the provision of a simple, compact devicewhich may be readily applied. The invention also has for other of itsobjects the novel arrangements and combinations of 19 parts as morefully hereinafter set forth.

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a liquid depth indicating deviceembodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view showing an enlargement of the lower portion ofthe air tube.

As shown in the present instance, 1 is the supply. tank of a motorvehicle containing liquid fuel and 2 the dash of the motor vehicle. 3 isthe pressure gage mounted upon the dash, this gage being preferably ofthe U type and containin "a suitable indicating liquid. 4 is a fittingaving the chamber 5 in its upper portion-and the chamber 6 in its lowerportion which chambers'are connected by the passageway 7. Thispassageway is controlled by a suitable valve 8. The fitting 4 isthreaded into the bottom of the supply tank 1. '9 9 is the air chamberwithin the supply tank 1 and preferably formed of a tube having itsupper end closed by suitable means such as .a plug and its lower endopen and communicating directly with the chamber5in the fitting4. f q

the o enmgs 11. The pressure'of the gas in 10 is a ringfitting aroundthe lower end of the air chamber 9 and fitting within the upper portionof the chamber 5 whereby the air chamber is carried by the fitting. The

lower end of the air chamber communicates f directly with the liquidfuel in the supply tank through the apertures 11 located above the ring10, these apertures being protected from sediment in the liquid fuel bythe cylindrical screen 12 surrounding that portion of screen beingclosed by suitable means.

13 is the electrolytic cellcarried by the fitting 4 and comprising thecylindrical shell 59 14 which is preferably formed of iron and is theair chamber having the apertures and. carried by the fitting 4,thelupper end of the wardly within and spaced from the shell 14.

. leads from the pressure gage'to the nipple 18 mounted upon the fitting4 and communicatmg at 1ts inner end with the pressure tube 19 whichextends upwardly within the air chamber 9 and has an open upperendcommunicating with the air chamber at its upper end. This pressure tubeis less diameter than that of the-tube formin the air chamber and ispreferably carried y the nipple.

In operation and assuming the valve 8 to I be open, liquid fuel entersthe lower end of the air chamber 9 through the screened openings 11,passes downwardly through the chamber 5, the passageway 7 and thechamber 6 of the fitting. The liquid fuel then passes to the carburetorthrough the nipple 20 which is mounted in the lower portion of thefitting 4 and communicates with the lower chamber thereof. When-electric current passes to the electrode 16 some of the electrolyte -iselectrolytically decomposed to form a gas which passes upwardly throughthe chamber 6, passa' eway 7 and chamber 5 of the fitting 4 and into theair chamber 9, thereby displacing the liquid fuel down to the a1rchamber at this time is equal to the hydrostatic head of the liquid fuelin the supply tank and this pressure is communicated to the pressuregage 3 through the pressure tube 19, nipple 1 8, and pipe 17, the gagebeing suitably calibrated to indicate either orboth the depth andquantity of the liquid fuel in the supply tank as desired.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a pressure gage and a tank containing a liquid,of a vertically extending air chamber within said tank communicatingwith the liquid at the fulldepth to be measured and with said gage, andan electrolytic cell communicating with said air chamber and with theliquid in said tank, said air chamber and electrolytic cell beingconstructed to form a unit.

'- 2. The combination .with a pressure ga e and a tank containing aliquid, of a vertica extending air chamber within said tankcommunicating with the liquid at the full depth to be measured and withsaid gage, andan electrolytic cell below said tank for receiving theliquid from said tank, said cell communicating with said air chamber,said air chamber and electrolytic cell being mounted as a unit upon saidtank.

3. The combination with a pressure gage and a tank containing a liquid,of a fitting secured tothe lower side of said tank and provided with anopening registering with an opening in the tank, an air chamber mountedupon said fitting and extending within said tank, said air chambercommunicating with the liquid at the full depth to be measured and alsocommunicating with said gage, and an electrolytic cell secured to anddepending from said fitting and communicating with said air chamberthrough the opening in said fitting.

4. The combination with a pressure gage and a tank containing a1iquid,,of a unit including a fitting connected to the bottom of said-tank and provided with an opening registering with an opening in thetank, an air chamber mounted upon said fitting and extending upwardlywithin said tank. said air chamber communicating with the liquid at thefull depth to be measured and with said pressure gage, a screen mountedupon said fittin and surrounding the portion of said air 0 ambercommunicating with the liquid, an outlet for the liquid mounted uponsaid fitting and communicating with its passageway, and an electrolyticcell secured and a tank containing a liquid, of a fitting secured tosaid tank, an air chamber mounted upon said fitting and extending withinsaid tank, said air chamber communicatlng with the liquid in the tank atthe full depth to be measured and also communicating with said gage, anelectrolytic cell mounted upon said fitting and means for placing saidcell in communication with said air chamber through the fitting.

6. The combination with a pressure gage and a tank containing a liquid,of a unit including a fitting connected to the bottom of said tank andprovided with a passageway therethrough, an air chamber mounted uponsaid fitting and extending upwardly within said tank, said air chambercommunicating with the liquid in the tank at the full depth to bemeasured and with said pressure gage, a screen mounted upon said fittingand surrounding the portion of said air chamber communicating with theliquid, an outlet for the liquid mounted on said fitting andcommunicating with its passageway and an electrolytic cell mounted uponsaid fitting and communicating with said passageway.

HORACE W. KING.

